Peanuts Recipes Food Cooking International Guide

Peanuts Are A Popular Delicious Snack

By John Cranby

Peanuts are quite popular as a tasty snack when visitors come to your place, when watching television or just relaxing with your friends. Quite often people eat peanuts to cut the amount of smoking and drink less alcohol.

This is why you will find peanuts available in bars and other social venues where lots of people gather.

If you go to a gourmet food store today, you will see there is a large range of peanuts available. From the raw shelled unsalted peanuts, the roasted unshelled salted peanuts to the chocolate covered peanuts.

In order to understand the popularity of peanuts today, one should look at the history and origin of peanuts.

Peanuts Are Indigenous To South America

The humble peanut is indigenous to South America, growing in the tropical regions. Although enjoyed by native peoples as a delicious food, the strange seed was also used in healing ceremonies, a practice that later became common in parts of Europe.

Even the shells were ground and used in medicinal preparations. Thought to have magical medicinal qualities, it was used by the Spanish to cure the sick. A staple of Civil war soldiers, the nut soon gained popularity among wealthy gourmets.

Peanuts In The Rainforests Of South America

When the Spanish came to America in 1492, they later made their way down to the tropical areas of South America. A foliage-rich jungle area, Spaniards were enticed by all the wonders of the rain forest.

Strange birds and odd creatures weren’t the only things that caught their eye. Seeing natives consuming peanuts gave the foreigners courage to try the funny looking nuts.

Peanuts Were An Exotic Treat To Bring Back To Europe

Before then, they were afraid of eating any unknown foods they came upon. Among other things, the peanuts were soon hailed by the Spaniards as an exotic treat to bring back to Europe. So began the peanuts’ world travels.

Bags upon bags of the nuts were carted to Europe. The Spanish touted this tasty nut as a rare and exotic food, and it soon became a European delicacy. Only the rich and powerful could afford this new luxury.

When people learned to grow the plant in Europe, this nut no longer commanded a high price; They flourished for both rich and poor!

Origin Of Salted Nuts

Because the poor habitually salted almost everything, the peanut would soon fall victim to the preserving technique. This is when salted nuts came into vogue.

In America, during the 1700’s and 1800’s, alongside African slaves, the nuts were traded as an exotic food from far-away lands. During the Civil War, soldiers were constantly hungry, and favored snacks that could be quickly consumed while on the move.

Peanuts Are Popular Snacks

Today, peanuts are living out their humble existence as an airline and ball game favorite. They’ve spawned a host of products, such as peanut butter and in chocolate covered, barbecue and spicy-flavored forms.

From its South American origins, the adventurous nut has traveled around the world, earning its’ place in both history books and cookbooks as a healing, delicious and nutritious food.

Once only for the rich, they have become an everyday food everyone can afford. Perhaps that’s where the phrase, "I’ll work for peanuts", came into use.

You can now go to the gourmet food store and buy a variety of peanuts, ranging from the raw unsalted peanuts in the shell to roasted and salted peanuts. Don’t forget the delicious chocolate covered peanuts.

The range is so huge, you may end up buying a bag of raw shelled peanuts, a bag of unshelled raw peanuts and a bag of raw salted peanuts.

All these variations should satisfy all your family need for peanuts.

About the Author:
John Cranby is an popular author on cooking. His other articles include Books for Cooks, Cake Decorating Supplies, Anniversary Gift Baskets, Herbal Teas, Coffee Specialty, Coffee Houses, Pumpkin Seeds, Casserole Recipes, Milk Chocolate Candy, Candy Molds, Candy Making, Candy Making Supplies, Chocolate Candy Stores, Chocolate Candy Bars, Make Chocolate Truffles.
Keep a lookout for more of his articles on this site.

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